


(Shut Up and) Dance With Me

by Menelya (mcrevenge)



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff and Smut, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-11
Updated: 2015-12-11
Packaged: 2018-05-06 05:26:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5404709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcrevenge/pseuds/Menelya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lee signs up for dance lessons, and gets more than he bargained for when their instructor is replaced with a sexy Brit.</p><p>Or, in which Richard is a dance instructor and Lee is his student.</p>
            </blockquote>





	(Shut Up and) Dance With Me

**Author's Note:**

> A huge thanks to my friend Northwind, who is kind enough to read through my shit and point out stuff I've overlooked and for generally being awesome. 
> 
> I have absolutely no clue about ballroom dancing, so I apologize in advance if any people who are actually good at that shit read this fic, you'll probably find a lot of mistakes, and I'm sorry. 
> 
> [Here's](https://open.spotify.com/user/mcrevenge/playlist/2YsPJOSphkDetVd9yG6LRU) my personal OST (aka the songs I listened to while writing in no particular order) for the fic if anyone's interested.

Somewhere in the outskirts of New York City, in a mirrored dance studio, Lee was busy trying to keep a track of his feet. When his best friend Anna had persuaded him to sign up for dance lessons, he had said tall men shouldn't dance, and time after time, he proved her right. Halfway into their fifth lesson, and Lee had yet to still go one class without stepping on any feet or stumble. 

"Let's take a five minute break, guys. Good job!" sounded the voice of their instructor, Jenna, a sweet woman in her late thirties, with long legs and short, blonde hair. Lee sighed thankfully.

"I still can't actually believe you talked me into this," Lee said. "I make fool out of myself each time, I should just quit."

"Oh, come on, Lee, it's just for fun," Anna said, taking a generous sip of water. "Remember why I signed us up for this." Right. For Lee to get out of the house, instead of sitting home by himself trying to coming to terms with his dashing, new relationship status: _single_. 

"It would be a lot more fun if I actually had some talent," Lee answered, barely noticing the tall, handsome man walking into the studio. Anna patted his back sympathetically, grinning. Hadn't he known better, Lee would have thought she had dragged him along just so that she had someone to laugh at. Unlike himself, Anna was a natural. He was however, very thankful for her. Maybe he was making a fool of himself, but at least he wasn't at home by himself moping. 

"Can I have your attention, please?" Jenna suddenly said, and both Lee and Anna turned their attention towards their instructor. Lee then definitely did notice the man who had walked in just a couple of minutes earlier, now standing beside Jenna. He was tall, ridiculously hot, probably the same age as Jenna. He was just the right amount of muscular, had hips to die for, was clad in tight black jeans and a white shirt (unlike everyone else, who wore sweatpants and worn out t-shirts). Lee nearly groaned. "This is Richard, an old friend of mine from The Royal Dance Academy in London. Since I'll be leaving tomorrow to train for, and later attend the World Championship of Ballroom Dance in Berlin, Richard will be taking over my studio from tomorrow. Which means, he'll be your instructor for the next two lessons. He'll be here only to observe today, so if you got any questions for him, ask away."

Anna nudged Lee with her small elbow, and looked at him with a knowing, lopsided grin. "Dance lessons won't be so boring now, will they?"

"Shut up," Lee said, trying to keep a straight face. Dance lessons would without doubt be a lot more enjoyable with such an eye candy to rest his eyes on. Not to mention it definitely made him realize being single wasn't entirely a bad thing; he had no reason to feel guilty for drooling over a sexy dance instructor. The group of soccer moms — whom Lee had named the sister wives — seemed to think the same thing about Richard, and one even slipped her wedding ring into her pocket. Lee didn't know who he pitied most, the wives — or their husbands.

"Hello everyone," Richard said, his baritone voice like velvet to Lee's ears, "I look forward to teach you." _Great_ , Lee thought, just to add to his very quickly growing list of _what makes Richard hot_ , he was British too. 

Then the music started up again, and Lee tried to remember his steps as the teenagers beside him started to giggle. Lee did his best to focus on his steps, trying not to step on Anna's feet again. Richard was making that a little hard, though, it was as if Lee's eyes just sought him out on their own accord. One of the sister wives stopped him on his way around the studio, touching his shoulder, smiling sweetly. Whatever she said, Richard declined politely with a shake of his head before continuing. Lee had to stifle a laugh, but suddenly got very nervous when Richard was heading over to them.

So in old Lee fashion, he stepped on Anna's foot, twisted his ankle, nearly gave the teenage girl beside them a black eye when he slipped on the smooth parquet before falling flat on his ass. The whole studio roared with laughter, except for Richard, who extended his hand and helped him back on his feet. His hand was soft, and Lee was a little reluctant about letting go of it. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm good, thanks," Lee mumbled, embarrassed. Way to go, what a great first impression to make on someone you think is hot. Not that Lee was planning on making a pass on him, but he preferred to keep all options open, especially now that he was single and all.

Richard turned to Anna. "You mind if I borrow your boyfriend for a minute?"

"You may borrow my _friend_ for as long as you like," Anna replied, "he's all yours."

  "You need to learn how to lead," Richard told Lee, "let me show you. Put your hand on my shoulder." Lee did as he was told, then Richard's hand landed on his waist, pulling him closer. Whatever cologne he used smelled so nice, Lee wanted to bury his head in his neck. "The hardest part is learning how to lead," Richard said, and Lee quickly realized he was right, it was a lot easier to remember his steps when all he had to do was follow. Lee did try not to stare so much, but with Richard all up in his face it was a little hard not to. He hoped the blush that was creeping up his face was not too obvious. "You need to steer her in the right direction, not the other way around. Like I'm doing with you right now. If you don't lead her, no wonder you keep stepping on each other's feet."

"Okay," Lee said, too busy enjoying the sensation of Richard's hand on his waist and his beautiful icy blue eyes to keep a track of his feet. Of course, Lee stepped on his foot, too. "Shit! I'm so sorry!"

Richard laughed and let go of him, seemingly unharmed by the incident. "It's not the first time that's happened, it's okay. So there's still some work left, but I like a challenge. I'll see you next Thursday…?"

"Lee," he said, "my name is Lee."

"I'll see you next Thursday, Lee. We'll work more on it then."

"Okay, I'm up for that," Lee nodded, hoping he didn't sound too desperate. "I'll see you then." 

The sister wives sent him death glares, but he pretended not to notice, although he did a little victory dance inside. "You should ask him out for coffee," Anna proposed.

"I don't know," Lee said, running a hand through his hair. Sure, he'd love to have coffee with him, he was hot and he seemed to be a nice guy, but despite the fact that Lee wasn't very fond of being on his own, he wasn't sure if he was ready for that kind of commitment again so soon. He had been in a relationship for nearly six years, and he was still discovering the perks of being single. He thought it best to lay low, label Richard eye candy, and be content with that. 

"It doesn't need to be anything serious," Anna offered, reading his thoughts. "Maybe this is what you need?"

"Maybe," Lee answered, realizing she might be onto something. At least he couldn't deny he was immensely attracted to him, and a bit of fun with no strings attached might just be the final push he needed to fully embrace his new, single life. 

When class ended and Lee was ready to go, the sister wives ambushed Richard in a circle. The poor man looked at Jenna for help, but she was too busy gathering her stuff to notice. Lee didn't have the heart to leave him in the lurch, the same thing had happened to Lee when he first set foot in the studio. It was as if they had never seen a man before in their life and would not leave him alone until he told them he was gay (and that he would not go shopping with them, "does it look like I got a fashion sense?"). "Um," Lee said, asking for their attention. "Richard, could I have a word?"

He looked extremely relieved, and for a split second, almost hopeful. "Absolutely," he said, excusing himself. "What can I do for you?"

"I just thought it looked like you needed some help there," Lee said.

"Oh," Richard said, smiling, "yeah, thanks. Are they always like that?"

"Whenever a handsome man walks into this studio, yes," he said. "I had to tell them I was into men before they would leave me alone," Lee added, just to erase any doubts Richard may have about his sexuality.

Richard only nodded and said, "I'll keep that in mind. Next Thursday then?"   "Thursday," Lee agreed and offered a smile before following Anna out to the car.

*

"Looking good today," Anna stated casually when Lee got into her beat down car. So Lee had fixed his hair for once, there wasn't anything wrong with wanting to look decent, even if only for dance lessons. 

"I know what you're thinking," Lee said accusingly. "It's not like that. Is it a crime to comb ones hair?"

"Not at all," Anna said, but he saw her smirk. "It's just… there's gel in your hair, too. Haven't seen gel in your hair for a while."

"Just shut up," Lee said. He might have wanted to look good for Richard, but he didn't have an agenda. Though, Lee couldn't vouch for his subconsciousness. Because that really seemed to have a mind of its own, sometimes.

It turned out Richard's lessons were a lot more fun than Jenna's. He had a dry sense of humor, something Lee appreciated, and he caught himself laughing a little too loud at his jokes sometimes. Richard came over to look at them several times, directing them and telling Lee he saw improvement. Anna's knowing smiles got so annoying at times, he deliberately stepped on her feet.

Richard came over to them at the end of class, and Lee noticed the jealous looks from the sister wives. He was pretty sure, judging by the way they were looking at him, that they were trying to figure out how to get rid of him. "How's it going?" he asked.

"Lee keeps stepping on my feet," Anna said. Lee glared at her, she had to know he did that on purpose.

Richard looked at him. "Okay, come here," he waved for Lee to come closer. "Let's try this again. Can someone turn on the music?"

"You can thank me later," Anna whispered. Lee had no choice but to surrender. Richard pulled him closer this time, his thigh nearly pushing Lee's legs apart. And when Lee thought this couldn't get any worse, _(I've Had) The Time of My Life_ from _Dirty Dancing_ started playing. 

"Eyes on me, Lee," Richard said, and started to dance. Lee followed, his eyes fixed on Richard's. Their chests were firmly pressed together, and the warmth Richard's chest emitted made Lee feel a little hot. Lee was pretty sure they weren't supposed to be this close, but he wasn't complaining, only silently wishing the hand Richard had on his waist would slip and land on his ass. Lee could feel the hard muscles on Richard's shoulders work, his hot skin burning Lee's palm through his shirt. The way Richard stared at him the entire time made him feel naked and exposed, but he kept on going, clinging on for dear life.

The song ended, and a little reluctantly Richard let him go.  Richard started to say something but stopped, just looked at him a little awkwardly and walked away. Lee was left alone panting, not knowing what to do, where to look, or what to say; everyone was staring.

"Lee," Anna said when she came over to him, "that was _intense_. You were in your own little world, not noticing anyone else than each other."

Lee didn't say anything, just stood there, not knowing what to do and waited for everyone to leave. He had no idea what he was about to do, only that he was about to do something about this whole situation with Richard. He couldn't sit and sulk forever, it was time to move on with his life. And Anna was right, it didn't need to be anything serious. "You coming?" Anna asked.

"Give me five minutes?" Lee asked. 

"I'll give you twenty if you just ask that guy out for coffee or something," Anna said, then mumbled something about sexual tension and left.

Richard stood with his back to him, packing down for the day. Lee bit his lip, his eyes landing on Richard's ass, wondering if it was as firm and bouncy as it looked. "Richard?"

"Yes?" he answered, turning around. 

"What was that?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean," Lee said, trying to ignore the exciting feeling building up in his stomach. "I'm too old to play games, so if you like me or whatever, just say so." But Richard didn't say anything, he only stood there, looking at him. But there was no mistaking the look he gave him. Lee had seen that look before, in overheated night clubs where men rubbed against each other on the dance floor; that hungry, sultry look of lust.

So Lee took that as an invitation, and closed the space between them. He heard Richard's sharp intake of air before he covered his mouth with his own, gently pushing Richard up against the mirrored walls. The kiss was open and wet and loud, teeth clinking together in an everlasting battle for control. 

Lee panted against Richard's lips, and tugged gently on his hair. Richard nudged his cheek with his nose, inviting him in for another kiss and Lee did not resist. Lee didn't know what he had planned, only that this was not it. However, it was welcoming, he felt free and he was turned on. And Richard was there, and he was hot and he was available. Lee would have to be stupid not to take advantage of that.

There was no mistaking that thing pressing against his thigh either, so Lee reached down to unbutton Richard's jeans and undo the zipper. Richard never really got the chance to protest, because in a swift move Lee was on his knees, holding Richard's dick in his hands. Lee offered him no warning before taking him into his mouth. 

Richard was polite enough to warn him when he was about to come, but Lee kept going, sucking him through his orgasm. When he was done, Lee tucked him back into his pants, and Richard mumbled something Lee couldn't quite comprehend. When he got up, Lee felt a hand on the outside of his pants, and Lee was just about to kiss him again when someone opened the door.

Lee knew what it looked like, and it was exactly what it looked like. Richard looked flush, both of their hair in a mess, Richard quickly pulling his hand back. Of course, it was one of the sister wives.

"Can I help you, Stacy?" Richard asked, his voice rough.

"I forgot my bag," she said, looking at them suspiciously, before quickly grabbing her bag and leaving the studio. Although his dick was ready to jump out of his pants, and he really wanted Richard to return the favor, he grabbed a pen from a nearby table and wrote his number down on a post-it. He could jerk off when he got home. 

"I don't normally do this but… here's my number," Lee said, handing Richard the note. "My ex and I recently broke up and I'm looking for something casual. Text me." 

Lee was out of the studio before he got a chance to reply, hiding his throbbing boner behind his bag. 

"What took you so long? You better have asked him out or something," Anna said when Lee buckled up, bag placed strategically on his lap. 

"I gave him my number," Lee answered, and a blowjob, he added in his mind.

"Good for you, Lee," Anna cheered, and started the car.

Later that evening, Lee's phone beeped.

_I'm free tomorrow after six, what's your address? xR_

*

Lee didn't hear anything from Richard the following day, and was afraid he would be a no show. He wasn't even completely sure about the whole thing himself, now that he had some time to think about it, so he needed Richard to be, because he knew he needed it. He needed to get laid, he needed to have something casual just for one night. 

Thankfully, Richard knocked on his door precisely 7 pm, newly showered and smelling and looking like heaven. He wore black jeans, a grey cardigan with a white shirt underneath, his hair combed neatly back. Lee had not given his appearance that much thought and wore only jeans and a grey t-shirt. "I don't usually do this," Richard said, handing Lee a bottle of wine he had brought. "House calls, I mean."

"Makes two of us," said Lee. He might have been sort of a slut in college though, but that was years ago, and he had been in a steady relationship for most of the time. He wasn't entirely sure, either, how hook ups worked nowadays. Was it strictly just sex, or was it okay to watch a movie together, and was it okay to stay the night? Richard had brought wine, so he figured that was a good start. He could need some wine to calm his nerves. He grabbed a couple of glasses from his kitchen cabinet, filled them up and joined Richard on the couch. 

"Nice place," Richard commented, looking around Lee's small two room apartment. It wasn't the biggest place, but it was spacious enough for him, and with the open kitchen, it seemed bigger, anyway. It might need some decorating, but Matt had let Lee keep the couch, which was large enough for Lee to lay down on without his feet sticking out at the end, so he was happy. 

"It works," Lee agreed, and handed him the glass of wine. "So, when did you start to dance?"

Lee let Richard drink wine and talk about dancing for approximately three or four minutes before he thought _fuck it_ , removed the glass in his hand and climbed onto his lap. Richard willingly let him, and Lee was pleasantly surprised when it was Richard who initiated the first kiss. 

They made out for a good five minutes, the sound of kissing and rustling clothes filling the living room. Richard's mouth tasted like wine, and a hint of mint. Lee wrapped his arms around his neck, Richard's woolen cardigan tickling his fingertips. When they finally got up from the couch, Lee made a trail to the bedroom out of Richard's clothes. 

Fifteen minutes later, Lee lay sprawled out on the bed naked, his lower stomach covered in his own cum. He let out a satisfied sigh. Richard was a pretty decent lay, probably the most decent lay Lee had ever had. He was an attentive and tender lover, with the capability to fuck like an animal. Lee figured it had to be the dancer in him. 

"That was amazing," Lee concluded out loud. So amazing, Lee knew he would want more once his body started working again. Although Lee and Matt had not had sex for the last three or four months of their relationship, and it without any doubt was a while since Lee had gotten laid, he could not remember sex being this good. Richard had definitely seen to his needs and pleased him, but he had also sparked the fire, and Lee wanted more. He made a mental note to thank Anna for this, it would probably not have happened without her.

"Yeah," Richard agreed silently. They lay like that for a little while, regaining their breaths, with their legs tangled, until Lee craved a cigarette too much and decided to get one. He had quit smoking a while ago, but had a pack stacked in his bedside table drawer, in case of emergency.

Richard joined him, and they hung with their heads out of the bedroom window sharing one. "Are you hungry? I could order some Thai," Lee said, giving the last drag to Richard. "Unless you got somewhere to be?"

"Thai's good," Richard said, flipping the butt of the cigarette down on the streets below. 

"Anything in particular you'd like?" Lee asked as he slipped his boxers back on and used a dirty t-shirt to clean his stomach.

"Whatever you're having is fine," Richard said, looking around the small bedroom for his underwear. Lee saw it by the foot of the bed and handed it over. 

"All right," Lee said, and walked into the living room to get his phone. After he had ordered them food, Lee invited Richard to come join him on the couch, and they ended up making out on the couch until there was a knock on the door. 

They ate in more or less silence, their knees occasionally bumping. When Richard offered to take the dishes into the kitchen, Lee followed him less than a minute later, surprising him. He reached around Richard, to find him half-hard. Lee bent over the kitchen counter and Richard took him right there. The moans emerging from the depths of Lee's throat were so loud he knew he would get dirty looks from his neighbors the next morning. But Lee had never had this great sex, and he was gonna let people know. 

*

Anna called Lee while he was changing the sheets the following day, asking for details.

"I don't think you want to know the details," Lee said to her over the phone, vividly remembering especially one detail; Richard whispering into his ear while he stood bent over the counter, that he had wanted him since he first saw him. Then experienced hands had wandered down Lee's torso to his groin, grabbed his cock, and Lee had shot his load all over the kitchen cabinet. He still had to clean that up. 

_"Oh, come on, Lee. Did you guys have sex? Was he any good? Are you gonna meet up again?"_ she probed. 

"Yes, and god, _yes_ and yes, he's coming over later after some dance recital or something." He didn't tell her that they had sex twice that evening, that they had been up late chatting about nothing, that Richard had stayed the night because it got late, or that they exchanged a hand job and a blowjob in the shower in the morning. Lee smiled to himself as he gathered the dirty sheets and made his way to the laundry closet in his kitchen. It still smelled like sex in there.

It was when Richard was about to leave, that Lee had asked him if he wanted to come over again. He was pretty sure one usually didn't invite a rebound fuck to come over again, but the sex really had been great, so who could blame him, really? 

_"You stallion,"_ Anna laughed, making Lee blush a little. _"So, since he's coming over again today, I take it you have no regrets?"_

"No, I don't," Lee admitted, turning on the washer. Lee's relationship with Matt had been complicated for a while when Matt eventually dumped him, so Lee had not been that sad to see him go. He had been bummed about getting dumped because he had no idea how to function on his own, after being in a relationship for nearly six years. But after a night with Richard, Lee realized he could be on his own and still have some company every now and then. He didn't have to be lonely just because he was single. And that made him feel good. Everything looked a little bit brighter and he was coming to terms with being on his own. It felt good, and most of all, he felt free. Now he could do whatever he wanted. Like having sex with one dangerously sexy dance instructor, for instance. "Thanks, Anna."

 _"No need to thank me,"_ she said. _"You kids have fun tonight."_

When Richard arrived later that day, Lee just guided him directly to his bedroom. Lee had spent his Saturday cleaning his place up, all the while dreaming about messing everything up again, with Richard's help. Richard obliged, and kissed Lee on the way to the bed. Despite Lee's small bedroom, they managed to remove their clothes swiftly without knocking each other over. 

"I've been waiting for this moment all day," Lee admitted once naked on the bed, groaning when Richard's fingers touched a sensitive spot inside him, the fresh sheets soft against his skin. "I really, really like having sex with you."

Richard laughed softly and kissed his hip. "I like having sex with you too, Lee." 

"Good," Lee breathed, then writhed, "ahhh, fuck — because we're gonna have loads more of it." Lee kept craving him; it was like a drought so dry, no amount of water would ever be enough. At the time, Lee could not have enough of Richard and as long as he was willing, Lee would be stupid not to keep asking for his thirst to be quenched. Nevermind that they had crossed the line of what was accepted as 'just a rebound', they had moved on to sex with no strings attached, not that Lee was paying that any attention. He was too busy wanting Richard's body every second he didn't have it. 

Richard couldn't stay the night, but he came back Sunday afternoon, with fried noodles from a local Chinese restaurant. Lee thanked him with a hand job in the hallway. "Is there something I should know, like, are you in AA for sex addicts?" 

Normally Lee would have gotten embarrassed, but he just laughed and kissed his cheek. "No," he said, patting Richard's chest. "I just thought it was very sweet of you to bring lunch." Also, he had waited for him all day, and Lee was happy to see him. 

"You could have just said 'thank you' or something like any other normal person," Richard joked, walking into the living room. He put the bag of fried noodles on the table and Lee walked to the kitchen to get himself — who couldn't use chopsticks even if his life depended on it — a fork. 

"Now where's the fun in that?" Lee called after him.

"Just eat," Richard said. "Before it gets cold."

"Thanks," Lee said as he sat down, smiling at him, "for bringing food. That was really sweet."

"You're welcome." Richard smiled back at him, and Lee resisted the urge to lean forward and kiss him. "And thank you for the hand job."

Lee laughed. "Anytime, Richard, anytime…" 

There was some sort of silent agreement about what was to happen after lunch, so with one look at each other, they both took to their feet and walked into the bedroom. Lee smiled when he pulled off Richard's t-shirt, leaning in to taste the salty skin on his neck. Richard's fingers made a quick job of Lee's jeans, and within a few seconds they pooled around Lee's ankles, soon to be accompanied by his underwear. 

So Lee was always eager to have sex with Richard in one way or another, but at least the feeling seemed to be mutual. When Lee climbed on top of Richard and slid down on him, it was as if the otherwise very calm man lost his cool. The hands on Lee's hips tightened their grip, and Lee rolled his hips, getting a loud groan in return. "Yeah, you like that?" Lee said, and did it again. 

"Oh my god," Richard breathed, grabbing Lee's wrist to pull him down for a kiss. Lee moaned into his mouth when Richard bucked up into him and bit down gently on his bottom lip. Sitting back up, Lee let Richard enjoy and did all the work himself. Richard had a blissful look on his face the entire time, and Lee had really come to enjoy how Richard's mouth always hung loosely open and his eyes shut tight when he climaxed. 

"I'm gonna go take a shower," Lee said after a couple of minutes, and got up. Richard lay spent on the bed, and only nodded in return. Lee sighed contently when he stepped under the hot stream of water, and just stood like that for a while. He heard the door to the bathroom close, and soon after Richard stepped into the shower to join him.

"Hey," Lee said, taking a step back to make room for him. 

"Hey," Richard said back, wrapping his arms around Lee's waist to pull him close. Richard kissed him, one of Lee's hands wandered to grab a hold of Richard's ass, the other one wrapped around his neck. And they stood making out like that for what felt like ages, until their bodies started to respond to touches again. 

There was passion in Richard's eyes when he hooked one of Lee's legs around his waist and fucked him against the shower wall. "Now who's the addict?" Lee moaned, and Richard laughed. 

When it was all over, Richard stepped out. "Where do you think you're going?" Lee asked, holding up a bottle of soap, his other hand reaching for Richard, pulling him back in. Lee built a tower of shampoo on the top of Richard's hair, and in return, Richard emptied the bottle of soap on him, making the floor of the shower so slippery Lee nearly lost his footing. They didn't get out of the shower until the water turned cold and Richard had to leave.

*

As Monday rolled around, having had more sex in three days than in the last year, Lee could barely sit without flinching, something his colleagues caught up on and made fun of. So maybe it was for the best that Richard was too busy with his dancing classes for the next days to come over, giving Lee some time to recover before they saw each other again Thursday. Although Lee thought three days was a bit too long to wait. 

But it also gave Lee some time to think. While he spent most of the time longing for Richard's body, he also caught himself longing for his company. They hadn't spent that much time outside the bedroom, but just enough to have gotten to know each other a little, and to spark Lee's interest. Richard was fun to be around, he was considerate and polite, and he was passionate. Lee wanted to learn more about him; what kind of music he liked, what was his favorite food and what kind of movies he preferred. He also realized he had actually no idea how old Richard was, or what his last name was. Although those thoughts often got interrupted by images of Richard on top of him in one way or another, Lee was intent on finding out who this man was. He was intrigued.

On Thursday, Lee turned up at the studio half an hour early, Anna hadn't been sure she would make it on time so Lee had opted for the bus instead. "You're early," Richard said when Lee arrived the mirrored studio. He stood by the stereo, leaning against one of the speakers. 

"Had to take the bus, Anna thought she might be a few minutes late," Lee answered, walking over to him, "anything I can help you with?" 

"I'm all set, but thanks, Lee," Richard answered, smiling. Lee dropped his bag next to Richard's, and compared his sweatpants to Richard's jeans, briefly wondering why he always dressed so nicely when everyone else swore to sweatpants. Not that Lee was about to file any complaints, because he thought Richard should always wear something that shows off his wonderful behind and thick thighs. "But since you're so early, how about a private lesson?"

"Private lesson?" Lee's face lightened up, immediately thinking a private lesson meant sex.

"I mean an actual lesson," Richard said, his eyebrow raised, "not sex."

"Oh," Lee said, not even trying to hide his disappointment.

"Come on," Richard said cheerily, turning on some music. "You can lead me. Show me what you've learned." Lee didn't really have much choice, because Richard grabbed his hand and took him to the middle of the dance floor. Lee put his hand on Richard's waist, and he wanted to reach down and grab Richard's ass, but Richard didn't seem to be in the mood for that. So Lee tried to remember all the things Richard had thought him about leading, and led Richard back and forth on the floor, even spinning him around a couple of times.

"What's your favorite movie?" Lee suddenly asked, receiving a puzzled look from Richard in return

"My favorite movie?"

"Yeah, what is it?" 

"Why do you ask?" Richard said.

"Because I'm having sex with you, and I don't know this stuff about you," Lee said, spinning him around again.

"You don't really need to know what my favorite movie is to have sex with me," Richard laughed as Lee pulled him back in.

"Come on, I want to know. What is it?" Lee asked again, but Richard would have none of it. 

"Focus on where you put your feet, not what my favorite movie is," Richard said, and Lee groaned. Okay, so he lost this round, but that didn't mean he had given up; he'd ask again later. In the meantime, he was okay with just enjoying some alone time with Richard in the studio. Even if meant dancing. Lee couldn't lie; although he still was no big fan of dancing, he did like dancing with Richard. It was something oddly intimate about two men dancing together, he thought.

"You've gotten quite good, I didn't think you'd learn so fast," Richard commented with a smile.

"I have the best instructor," Lee said, Richard's smile widening. "He's sexy, too." He added, and Richard snorted.

"You don't need my help anymore, you're doing just fine on your own."

"You mean I get no more special treatment?"

"Oh, you _are_ getting special treatment," Richard said, and Lee could not resist leaning down to kiss him. He was sure Richard would scold him and tell him to focus, but instead the hand on his shoulder moved to Lee's neck, and Richard deepened the kiss. They were still moving across the floor, although slower, when Lee's hand dropped from Richard's waist to his ass, squeezing it gently. He could feel Richard's lips turning into a smile, so Lee seized his chance. "Do you have a private locker room or something?"

"Well, there's a cupboard, but I don't know if we'll fit in there," Richard suggested. 

"We fit in my shower, can't be smaller than that," Lee said, and followed when Richard led them out to the corridor. They passed a couple of doors before Richard opened a door to a dark broom closet. "Well, this will be a first," Lee said, then he shoved Richard inside.

Naked from his waist and down, Lee had his leg hooked around Richard's waist, both hands tangled in his hair. As the clock grew closer to six he could hear footsteps and chatter outside, and Richard's quiet moaning against his neck. Having sex in a broom closet with his instructor while there were people right outside the door, made Lee feel a little like a high school student having sex with his teacher. It was exciting, and Lee breathed heavily, trying not to lose his footing.  
"Richard."

"You okay?" he asked, his hand cupping Lee's buttock for leverage as he thrusted. 

"Okay?" Lee asked with a moan. "More like fantastic."

It was definitely easier to get undressed in the very small broom closet, so when Lee tried to bend down to pick up his pants and underwear, he knocked his head against Richard's. "Shit, I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Richard laughed, "told you it was small in here."

When Lee finally managed to put his pants and underwear back on, they looked at each other in the dark. "So, when we get out of here, there will be people in the hall and in the studio and they will know we just had sex. Are you okay with that?" Lee asked, suddenly realizing that maybe Richard wouldn't be okay with everybody knowing he was doing one of his dance students. Something Lee would understand completely, because it might seem a little unprofessional. But then again, they were both two consenting adults. Lee was not a horny teenager Richard was taking advantage of. 

"Thanks to Stacy, they probably already have an idea," Richard said, "besides, we're both adults. I think they can handle it, it's not like you're an underage student."

"Good, I just wanted to make sure," Lee said, and slapped his ass before opening the door. A young couple passed them just as they stumbled out, Richard with his shirt tails hanging out, Lee with his t-shirt stuffed down his underwear. The guy raised an eyebrow and gave them a thumbs up. "We locked ourselves in," Lee called after them. "Looked for a broom and the door just shut itself. We're okay, thanks for asking."

"You're an idiot," Richard said, his mouth red from the stubble on Lee's chin. Then he looked at Lee and said, "it's _Flashdance_ , by the way."

"Oh god," Lee said, "I should have known it was something like that."

When they entered the studio again, they did get a lot of stares. Unlike Lee, whose blush was colored crimson, Richard was a professional and acted as nothing had happened, although his hair stood out in weird places and he looked flush, and his shirt tails still hanging out from his pants. He told people to start warming up, and Lee decided to hang in the corner and wait for Anna to arrive. He had just warmed up, after all.

"Why does your hair look funny?" Anna asked when she got there, then she looked at Richard and gently punched Lee's arm. "You guys had sex before class!" she whispered.

"Shut up," he said, but didn't manage to hold back a shy smile.

"You look so happy and confident right now," Anna told him, "I'm happy for you, Lee. Now you can finally move on with your life."

"Yeah," Lee admitted, then took a quick glance at Richard who was busy helping one of the teens with their posture, trying to ignore the tingling feeling he got in his stomach by looking at him. 

"So, what about you and Richard," Anna wondered, "are you gonna keep seeing each other?"

"Well, I don't know? We haven't exactly discussed where this is going," Lee admitted, "or if it is going anywhere. All I know is that the sex is amazing, and he's fun to be around. I take one day at the time. I don't even know if I'm ready to be in a relationship yet."

Anna looked at him with her eyebrow raised, a smirk lurking on her lips. Lee wanted to gently slap away the smug look on her face, but decided against it. It would only confirm whatever she was thinking — which was probably something along the lines of _I know you, I've seen those looks before, both you and I know where this is going_. Lee realized what this looked like to outsiders like Anna. It had not been just a one night stand, Richard had been over three times, and slept over once. They had eaten together, taken showers together, laughed together, kissed each other goodbye. Richard definitely was the kind of man Lee could fall for, Anna knew that. But it was still a little early to tell exactly, or at least that's what Lee told himself. 

When everyone started to gather their bags and bottles of water, Lee told Anna he'd get home on his own. He then made his way over to Richard, who stood with his hands on his hips, all packed up and waiting for the rest to leave. "Any plans for the evening?" Lee asked. 

"Are you inviting me over?" Richard wondered, a warm smile spreading on his lips.

"Was I that obvious?" Lee joked. 

Richard's smile widened. "Sure, I'll come."

"Good," Lee said, stealing a kiss, not minding the looks from the remaining dance students. It wasn't as if they didn't know by now, he reasoned, and Richard didn't seem to mind too much. "Cause I already told Anna I don't need a ride home."

"Are you using me for my car?" Richard asked, grabbing his bag. Lee followed him to the door, where they stood waiting for the rest to leave.

"Yes," Lee answered, "I thought you had that figured out by now."

Richard just smiled, and locked the door once everyone was out. They walked in silence to the car, with the occasional bump of shoulders. They finally reached Richard's car, slung their bags in the back seat and got in. Lee wasn't very good with cars, but he was pretty sure it was a BMW, it seemed to be fairly new and it was black. The car suited him, and the way Richard gripped the steering wheel made Lee a little exited. When Richard pulled out of the parking lot, Lee got a sudden urge to give him a blowjob, but opted against it because safety first. Matt had done it to him once many years ago, and Lee nearly drove off the road, so there had been no blowjobs while driving since. Richard really did look sexy while driving, though, and the way his hand rested loosely on the gearstick wasn't exactly helping. 

"Have you ever had sex with one of your students before me?" Lee asked suddenly. 

"No," Richard answered, eyes on the road. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious," Lee answered, but was left wondering if anyone else had made a pass at him. Surely someone must have, at some point. Lee decided not ask, and instead enjoy the fact that he was the only one. 

"I did however, have a relationship with one of my own teachers once, at the dance academy," Richard admitted, though he didn't seem to cherish the memory. "She was the one who came onto me, I was young, inexperienced and insecure."

"She?" Lee frowned. 

"That was many years ago," Richard elaborated, "I was just a boy and had yet to accept my sexuality. I saw it as a way out, some sort of twisted way to turn straight."

"Oh," Lee said, "yeah, we've all been there." They drove the rest of the way in quiet, and somewhere along the way Lee snuck his hand atop Richard's thigh. 

"Could I borrow your shower?" Richard asked when they got to Lee's place, bags dumped in the hallway. 

"Sure," Lee said, hanging up his denim jacket. He could use one himself, but he was also very hungry. The shower would have to wait. "Knock yourself out. Clean clothes and underwear in my closet too, if you want some. The washed out black sweatpants are really comfy." 

"Thanks," Richard said, kissing Lee's cheek chastely before walking into his bedroom. 

"You hungry?" Lee asked, walking into his kitchen. Looking through his cabinets, the only edible thing he could find was a box of mac and cheese, and cereal. He didn't even want to open his fridge, whatever in there meant for eating was probably moving. His nutritionist sister would have a heart attack if she knew. Unlike his sister, Lee didn't exactly enjoy cooking, and preferred to order take out from the local Thai restaurant. Lee had them on speed dial and was on first name basis with the cook, Pravat. Lee figured the food there was somewhat healthy, at least there were a lot of vegetables. If it wasn't, he was pretty sure his morning jogs made up for it anyway. 

"I'm starving," Richard called out to him from the bedroom. Lee looked at his watch; at this hour, there was no point in ordering food unless they wanted to wait for half an hour. Lee sighed, mac and cheese, then. 

Lee had just filled up two bowls, when a clean Richard wearing an old t-shirt of his and his favorite sweatpants padded barefoot into the kitchen. "Thanks for letting me borrow your shower. And clothes."

"Anytime," Lee said, handing him a bowl while enjoying the sight of Richard in his clothes. Lee had no idea anyone could look sexy in sweatpants, but Richard pulled it off. "So, all I had was mac and cheese."

"Good enough for me," Richard answered, and walked with his bowl into the living room. 

They ate in silence on the couch, Lee with his feet tucked under Richard's thigh for warmth, turning on the TV just in time to catch the first episode of a new series with Glenn Close and Rose Byrne on FX. Lee didn't catch the title, but it was thrilling enough for the both of them to forget about each other for a little while, at least until Richard rose to take their dishes into the kitchen, neglecting Lee's cold toes. 

"This show seems good," Lee said when he returned, quickly tucking his feet back under Richard's thigh when he sat back down. 

"Yeah," Richard agreed, his hand absentmindedly reaching down to rub the top on one of Lee's feet. The gesture felt oddly domestic, and warmth spread through Lee's entire body. "I like court order dramas like this."

"Me too," Lee said, and smiled, before turning his attention back to the TV. They fell into a pleasant silence after that. And when Richard put his arm atop the cushions, Lee seized his chance and snuggled up against him, his head on Richard's chest. Richard shifted so that Lee could be more comfortable and put his arm around him. 

"I'm beat," Lee said after a while, turning his head to look up at Richard. 

"Would you like me to go?" Richard asked.

"No," Lee said, and kissed him. They kissed for a while, and for the first time, Lee felt his heart skip a beat. He snuggled even closer to Richard then, sneaking his hand under his t-shirt to rest his hand on hot skin. When Richard started to rub his neck gently, Lee nearly fell asleep. 

"I should go," Richard said, "you're tired. Go to bed, Lee."

"You could also stay the night," Lee said, yawning. Not giving the fact that instead of fucking each others brains out like they usually did when Richard was over, they had spent an entire evening snuggling on the couch, a thought. "I'll make you breakfast."

"Are you sure?" Richard asked.

"Yes," Lee said, too comfy to lift his head. "I want you to stay." They watched some more TV before hitting the bed. Although, Lee only agreed to get up when Richard promised he could use his chest as a pillow in bed, too. Lee didn't tell him, but he found the sound of his heartbeat soothing. Just smiled smugly and followed when Richard grabbed his hand and led him to bed.

When Lee's alarm rang in the morning, Richard invited him for some lazy morning sex, and Lee thought he could get used to waking up to that. Lee kept his promise and made him breakfast, a bowl of cereal, because that was the only thing he could offer. "I promise next time you stay the night, I'll have restocked my fridge and cabinets," Lee said, but Richard never complained.

Richard offered to drive Lee to work, and just about when Lee was about to get out, Richard asked him if he had any plans for the evening, and if he didn't, maybe he could come over. He promised to make a proper dinner, if Lee provided a movie. To which Lee replied by kissing him, and said, "I'm looking forward to it."

*

"Look what I got," Lee said, waving a movie in Richard's face. They had just eaten; Richard had made beef tenderloin with mashed potatoes, red wine sauce and roasted asparagus, putting Lee's mac and cheese to shame. He reminded himself to thank him for dinner later, but at least he had restocked his kitchen as promised, so if Richard decided to stay the night again, Lee would serve him a full breakfast.

"You did not," Richard said.

"Did too," Lee grinned, and pecked his cheek, the stubble on Richard's cheek tickling his lips. The numbers of kisses outside of the bedroom had increased, and warmth was starting to spread through Lee's body each time. "You said it was your favorite movie."

"Yeah, but I didn't think you'd rent it," Richard said.

"Aren't I a sweet one," Lee said, not looking closely enough to notice the loving look Richard gave him. "Besides, I haven't seen it. How about you put the movie on, and I'll get a blanket."

"On it," Richard nodded, and snatched the DVD out of Lee's hand. 

When Lee got back from the bedroom, Richard had laid down on the couch, his back against the armrest. Lee made himself comfy between his legs, pulled the blanket over them and rested his head against Richard's chest just in time for the movie to start. Lee had trouble understanding how this could be Richard's favorite movie, but decided not to question his taste. Maybe it was because of the ballet or maybe he had a crush on Jennifer Beals as a teenager. Either way, Lee was not overly impressed. 

So instead of paying attention to the movie, his mind drifted to the man beneath him. Lee felt he had gotten to know Richard, but there was still some things he thought he should know. Like, how old was he, what was his last name? Did he have any brothers and sisters? He had never been to Richard's place, so he hadn't seen his family photos, if he had any. Lee had one picture up of his sister and her family, a picture of himself and his brother, and his parents' wedding photo, and Lee had seen Richard look at them. He also knew Lee's last name, thanks to the list of participants at the dance studio. He might have seen Lee's driver's license laying around and figured out his age too, for all he knew.

"What's your last name?" Lee asked when they were halfway through the movie.

"Armitage," Richard hummed quietly against his hair, gently rubbing Lee's torso. "why do you ask, Lee Pace?"

"Because I didn't know, and I'm curious," Lee answered, wondering how Richard's hand had wound up on his stomach without him noticing. "Do you have any siblings?"

"An older brother," Richard said.

 "Age?" Lee turned himself around so they were face to face, and traced the outlines of his face with a finger. The stubble really suited him. "35?"

"37," Richard answered, his breath smelling of the wine they had while eating. "Anything else you'd like to know?"

"No, that's all for now," Lee said, and kissed him. He tasted like wine, too.

"You never told me much about yourself," Richard said.

"What do you want to know? There's not much to know about me, I'm boring," Lee said. "I find you a lot more interesting."

"I don't think you're boring," Richard said, "quite the contrary."

"You say that just to get in my pants."

"Like I need to say anything to get in your pants," Richard said.

" _Rude_ ," Lee gasped, "but true." Then he laughed, and leaned in close to kiss him again. Richard's hand found its way up Lee's t-shirt, lightly stroking his back as Lee's tongue conquered Richard's mouth, and I can get used to this, Lee caught himself thinking for the second time that day. Lee lost his t-shirt somewhere in between taking Richard's pants off and unbuttoning his black shirt. When he finally felt Richard's smooth skin against his, they had switched places and Lee sunk down into the couch. 

When the movie neared its end, the sound of _What a Feeling_ drowned in moans. Richard was on top of Lee, thrusting into him. "I can't get enough of you," Lee breathed against Richard's lips, getting a kiss in return. Richard picked up the pace, and shortly after sent them both to heaven and back for a few, blissful seconds. 

Richard was nice enough to get up and grab a towel to clean Lee up. When he had wiped Lee's stomach clean, he got a mischievous look on his face, then rubbed the damp towel in Lee's face, laughing hysterically. "Gross!" Lee yelled, laughing. "I'm gonna get back at you for that!"

Richard jumped up off the couch, towel in his hand, Lee in tow. They ran after each other through Lee's entire apartment, naked, until Lee managed to tackle Richard to the cold floor. Although taller, and longer arms, Lee did not manage to snap the towel out of Richard's hands. Richard kept laughing as they lay on the floor, wrestling, until Lee finally gave up.

"You're the worst," Lee said, poking his face. "I got my own cum in my face, thanks to you."

"It's a good look on you," Richard said, barely holding it together.

"I hate you," Lee sighed, "I rent your favorite movie, cuddle with you on the couch and have sex with you, and this is how you choose to repay me?" 

"I know," Richard said, trying to stop laughing. "I'm terribly sorry." 

"Stop laughing, you dick," Lee said, sending Richard into another fit. At least the sound of his laugh was beautiful. Actually, pretty much every noise coming out of his mouth was beautiful, Lee had loved the sound of his baritone voice since day one.

"Sorry," Richard said when he stopped laughing, but Lee wasn't mad. So, he had cum on his face, it wasn't the first time, although it was the first time it was his own. To make up for it, Richard cupped his face and kissed him. Slow and leisurely, with tongue and teeth. 

Then they lay there on the floor, not minding how stupid it must look, just staring at each other for a good minute. Just as Richard opened his mouth to say something, Lee's phone rang and the moment was ruined. "Well, fuck me," Lee said, and got up.

"Just did," Richard commented dryly, making Lee laugh. 

"Mom," Lee answered the phone, a little irritated. "I'm kind of busy, can I call you back some other time?" His sweet, precious mom, bless her, but now was not the time to chat with her. So when she had said sorry, she didn't mean to interrupt, and that his father said hi, Lee made a promise to call her later and hung up. He put the phone back on the table and offered Richard a hand. "Couch?"

Neither minded to put any clothes back on, and snuggled together on the couch under the blanket. Lee wasn't a fan of cuddling while naked, it made him feel clammy and way too hot, but the living room was a bit chilly, so it worked. 

Lee realized Richard had fallen asleep when he noticed his breathing had changed. He looked peaceful, and Lee almost didn't want to wake him up. But he was selfish, and wanted to have him in his bed. "Hey," he said quietly and kissed his forehead, not wanting to startle him. "Let's go to bed."

"Yeah," Richard answered, his voice laced with sleep. 

"Come on, sleepy," Lee said, giving him a hand. When Lee climbed into the bed, he had already tucked Richard in. Richard muffled something incoherently into the pillow and automatically slung his arm around Lee's waist, falling quickly asleep. So did Lee, with a content smile on his face.

Richard was still asleep when Lee woke up, and Lee decided to let him sleep in. He went and took a quick shower, brushed his teeth, dressed and then went to check on Richard, who was still deeply asleep. Smiling to himself, Lee padded quietly into the kitchen to start on breakfast. It was already 11 am, so if Richard hadn't gotten up by the time he was done, he'd go wake him up. 

For once, there was food to be found in his kitchen. He put on the coffee machine, and proceeded to make toast, bacon, scrambled eggs, sausages and he heated up a can of tomato beans, listening to the muffled buzz of people and cars on the street below. Thankfully, even Lee couldn't fuck up a simple breakfast. Then there was the sound of approaching footsteps. "Do I smell coffee?"

"Good morning," Lee said, "just in time for breakfast."

Richard looked around at all the food Lee had made. "What, no cereal?" he joked, reaching out to rub the side of Lee's waist, and kissed his cheek. "Good morning, indeed. This smells amazing."

Lee smiled at him, and filled up a cup for him. "Here," he said, handing Richard the cup of coffee. Richard thanked him with another peck on the cheek. They sat down to eat by the kitchen table, a furniture Lee never really used, their long legs bumping against each other under the table. 

"What are you doing today?" Lee asked, filling up his plate. At least it was enough food, he had probably made enough for five people. 

"I have a recital again," Richard said, looking at him. "Every time a group finishes a class, they have a performance, basically for their family and friends, to show what they've learned. You'll have one too, when you're done. But that should be done at six or seven, I'm free after that."

"I have to dance in front of people?" Lee said, pulling a grimace. "I only joined that class to get out of the house and because Anna made me. No one told me anything about a recital."

"You'll be fine," Richard promised, "I think yours is in three weeks."

Lee sighed. "Will you be there?"

"I had my last class with you on Thursday, Jenna will be back next week," Richard said, looking away. "But I'll see what I can do, if you want me there."

The recital was three weeks away, and a lot could happen in three weeks, Lee knew that. But he did have a good feeling about Richard, and about the direction their relationship had taken, especially the last couple of days. "I do," Lee said, his mouth full of bacon. "Besides, I could need a professional to go through the steps with one last time before I enter a stage."

Richard laughed and took a sip of his coffee. "You've gotten better. I'm sure you'll do well."

"So, you'll come over after the recital today?" Lee asked, washing down the bacon with a swig of coffee. 

"Sure," Richard said, "should I bring anything?"

"Only yourself and your toothbrush," Lee said, to which Richard smiled and nodded. When they had finished eating, Lee refilled Richard's cup, and for once Lee was the one to clean up the dirty dishes. While he was doing the dishes, Richard came over to him, wrapped his arms around him from behind and kissed the back of his neck.  
 "I have to go," he said, rubbing Lee's stomach. "See you later today, then."

Lee turned around to face him, put his wet, soapy hands on Richard's cheeks and kissed him. "Have fun at the recital, come hungry."

"All right," Richard said, before going to grab his things. Lee sighed and washed the last remaining plate, considering maybe to call Sally later, see if his big sister had some tips for what he could make them for dinner (and most importantly; how to make it without screwing up). It was either that or buy something he could throw into the microwave. However, Lee felt the need to impress after Richard had surprised him with his cooking skills, so he was definitely calling his sister later for some cooking aid. 

"Thank you for a lovely breakfast," Richard called out from the hall, before closing the door behind him. Lee smiled to himself as he put the last plate back into the cabinets, already looking forward to Richard's return.

*

It was on Tuesday, while at work, Lee realized he was falling in love. There had been some warning signs the last days, and whether he didn't notice them or chose to ignore them was unknown. But it first really dawned on him when Richard texted him and said that he had missed him yesterday, that he was sorry he was unable to make it because he had to pick up Jenna at the airport after work, and that he couldn't wait to see him again. 

So, it didn't happen the way Lee would like for it to happen, with dinners, long talks and walks home. Instead it had started with just sex, and the dinner, movie, long talks part came later. When it all came down to it, how it had come to the point of Lee falling in love, didn't really matter. The chemistry was there, both in and outside of the bedroom, and Lee really enjoyed his company. And by the looks of it, Richard liked his company, too. It didn't really matter to him that Richard had been a rebound he had chosen to keep around long enough to fall headfirst in love with him.

Something Lee had no problems coming to terms with. So maybe he hadn't thought he was ready for a relationship yet, but obviously he had been wrong. He was ready. He was ready to wake up with Richard by his side, and most of all, he wanted to. He wanted to be able to smell his musky shampoo when they went to bed every night, he wanted to lie on the couch with him an entire day to binge watch the show with Glenn Close they both liked. He wanted Richard to be there, waiting for him when he got home from work. He wanted to be Richard's biggest fan in the crowd when he entered the dance floor. And most of all, Lee wanted Richard's love. 

And he was pretty confident he would get it, too. There was no reason for Lee to think otherwise, because he seemed to be just as comfortable in his presence as Lee was in his. 

"Earth to Lee," one of his colleagues, Josh, said, handing him a few papers. "Could you file these for me?"

"Oh, yeah, sure," Lee said, looking up at him from his desk. Josh was short, and when he stood beside Lee he looked like a hobbit. The curly hair didn't help. Within seconds after Josh left, Lee's mind drifted to Richard again. He almost laughed at himself for not having seen it coming. Richard was considerate, affectionate, funny, and passionate; everything Lee treasured in a lover. Not to mention he was drop dead gorgeous and had a voice made of pure velvet.

Lee hadn't seen him since Sunday, and could barely wait to see him again; to kiss him, to touch him. In fact, when Lee got off work, he realized he wasn't patient enough to wait for Richard to come to him, and decided to go to his place and surprise him. He hadn't been there yet, but he had the address. On his way there, Lee wondered what his place might look like. Richard seemed like the kind of guy who liked to keep his place tidy without too much clutter.

Lee had to walk up three stories before reaching the right apartment. When Lee knocked on the door — which didn't say neither Richard or Armitage, Lee wondered if he had the wrong address — it was Jenna who opened. "Oh, Lee, hi! You must be here for Richard." She winked. "He let me in on your little secret. He's in the bathroom."

"Yeah," Lee said, smiling a little shyly. "I'll just wait here, then."   "Don't be ridiculous," Jenna said, and ushered him inside, "Richard just got out of the shower, he'll be out in a minute." Lee tried to get a look at the place, but didn't see much other than a bit of the kitchen, a suitcase and some art on the walls. The hall was basically just jackets and shoes, all except one pair seemed to belong to Jenna. From what Lee could gather, the place had more of a feminine than a masculine touch. 

"So, you and Richard, huh," Jenna said just as Lee was about to say he didn't know they were roommates, an unimportant detail Richard obviously had forgotten to mention. He just smiled at her, and rubbed the back of his head. "Don't tell him I told you, but I haven't seen him this happy in a while. Whatever you're doing to him, keep doing it."

"So, how did the championship go?" he asked, trying to change the subject. 

"Third place," Jenna said, just as Lee heard a door close. 

"Jenna, where did you put my plane ticket?" Richard called out, just as Lee was about to congratulate her. Lee frowned, he couldn't remember Richard telling him he was going somewhere.

"I'll find it," she called back, and wandered into the apartment. "You have company," Lee heard her say. 

"Hey," Richard said when he came into the hallway. "I didn't know you were coming."

"Neither did I," Lee admitted, and reached for his hand. "I didn't want to wait to see you." Richard gave his hand a firm squeeze and gave him a soft, quick kiss. Jenna called out and said she put his ticket on the kitchen counter. "Are you going somewhere?" Lee asked. 

Richard took a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm going to London tomorrow."

"Oh," Lee said, "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you, too," Richard answered, still holding tightly onto his hand. Lee ducked his head and smiled, butterflies threatening to burst out of his stomach at any moment. It had been so long since Lee had been in love, he had almost forgotten what it felt like. 

"For how long will you be gone?" Lee asked. He didn't want to part with him, not now, when all he wanted was to spend time with him, get to know him even better and start to build the foundations of the relationship he hoped for.

"I…" Richard started, clearly uncomfortable. Lee raised his eyebrows. "I live there." 

There was a moment of silence before Lee realized what he had said. Then it hit him like a punch in the face, and he immediately let go of Richard's hand and took a step back, trying to make sense of what he had just told him.

"When were you planning on telling me this?" Lee asked him weakly, his heart beating rapidly. " _Were_ you even planning to tell me? Did it ever occur to you that I might want to know that you live in fucking _London_?" 

"I was gonna tell you tonight," Richard explained. He tried to reach for him, but Lee took another step away. "It was never an option not to tell you, Lee. And I regret not telling you from the start, but I didn't think it was that important, since you made it very clear that I was a rebound, although it-"

"Well, you're not just a rebound anymore, I thought you had realized that," Lee said quietly. "I'm in love with you."

"Lee, what I feel for you, what you feel for me, is what made it so damn hard to tell you. Please, don't make it any harder than it already is, we can figure this out," Richard pleaded, and reached for him again. 

"Don't you fucking touch me," Lee said, reaching for the handle. "You lied to me, this entire time."

"I know, and I'm really, _really_ sorry," Richard said, "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Don't bother," Lee said, then he turned on his heels, marched out and slammed the door behind him. Ignoring Richard calling after him down the naked stairways, the voice Lee had grown so fond of nothing but an echo when Lee finally felt fresh air on his face. The sound of busy New York streets felt welcoming, and Lee got into a cab just in time for Richard to come out and see him leaving. 

Lee quickly decided to go to Anna instead of home. Richard tried calling him so many times on his way there he eventually shut off his phone. He didn't want to talk to him, he was angry and hurt for being lied to. Above anything else, Lee believed in honesty. Richard had the chance to tell him the day Lee asked him where he lived, and instead of telling the truth, Richard had lied and given him the address to Jenna's apartment. Lee could not be with someone he couldn't trust. 

Less than an hour ago, Lee had seen a future for them together, but now, according to him, they were nothing but two more lonely people.

The way up to Anna's apartment on the fourth floor had never felt so long and heavy, when Lee finally arrived at her door, he felt exhausted. "Lee," she said when she opened the door, "what are you doing here, I thought you were with Richard?"

"I just made a fool out of myself," Lee admitted and walked into her small apartment. Clothes lay scattered, but Lee found a clear spot to sit on her red couch. 

"What happened?" she asked, sitting down beside him with her legs in a cross. She looked genuinely concerned.

"I'm in love with Richard," Lee said quietly, receiving a knowing look from his best friend. Unlike himself, she had seen this coming long ago. "Turns out he lives in London and he's going back home tomorrow, and he never told me until now." Lee tipped his head back against the cushions, sighing, noticing the smell of fresh linen. "He lied to me."

"What did he say, did he break it off?" Anna asked.

"No," Lee said. "He said that the way he feels about me made it harder for him to tell me. That doesn't excuse him for lying. He should have told me the day he realized this was going somewhere, now's a little too late. It sucks that he lives in London, but we could have figured that out. I can't be in a relationship with someone I can't trust." There was a pause. "I feel so fucking stupid, I really thought we had something."

"Are you really sure about this?" Anna asked him. "Because when he boards that plane to London tomorrow, it might be too late to change your mind."

"Are you on my side, or his?" Lee asked. 

"Of course I'm on your side, that's why I'm saying this. Lee, I know you," she said softly. "I know it hurts that he lied and didn't tell you, and you have every right to be mad about that, but don't you think you might be overreacting a little bit? Did his lie hurt you so much, that you don't want to see him again? I've seen how much you like him, don't let him be the one that got away."

"It doesn't matter how much I like him," Lee said after a while, "because he clearly doesn't like me enough to be honest with me."

When Lee turned his phone on again later that evening, he had 19 missed calls.

*

 Lee's broken heart only truly revealed itself when most of the anger had eased off. Lee spent the night on Anna's couch, and when he got home to an empty apartment after work, closing the door behind him, Lee broke down. He sat with his back against the door for nearly an hour, fighting back tears and feeling pathetic. He did not regret anything, and didn't feel that he had done anything wrong, but that didn't keep his heart from falling apart. He was still very much in love with Richard, and that was killing him. He had swept Lee off his feet, and sent him crashing back down in one swift move. 

Richard kept calling, and Lee kept declining his calls, because Lee knew if he did he might give in. And Lee wasn't gonna build a relationship on lies; lies had been what ended his last one. He wasn't about to make that same mistake again. 

It was when Jenna came over to him after class and said, "Richard went back to London last night," Lee realized he had already made a mistake. Her tone was not accusing, and probably wasn't meant to make Lee feel awkward, nonetheless, her comment made him feel bad. He still thought he had every right to be mad at Richard, but as the fog in front of his eyes lifted, Lee could empathize with Richard. 

Lee had made it clear what he was at the beginning; a rebound. There had been no need for Richard to tell him in which country he resided because it was an unimportant detail. And as things had evolved between them, Lee could only imagine how hard it had been for Richard trying to figure out when would be the best time to tell him. And as Lee understood that, everything just got worse. Because now Richard was back in London, and Lee sat alone in his apartment in New York, knowing that his regrets might have come a little too late. Richard might never come back to New York, and Lee certainly didn't have the means to travel to London with a hope to win his heart back. 

When Lee walked up to his apartment after class that evening, he decided that when Richard called him again, he'd answer. Try to sort things out, apologize for how he had reacted. But the next call never came, and Lee was both too embarrassed by his behavior and a little too proud to make the call himself. And also convinced that Richard had given up on him, and that it was a lost cause, anyway. So Lee gave up too, without even really trying.

He wouldn't admit it to anyone but himself, but he really missed him. He was sure he had Anna convinced that he was over him already. Lee almost called him sometimes, just to hear the sound of his voice. But Richard was half a world away, and there was nothing he could do about it, other than move on. Which seemed to be harder than anticipated, he had obviously made a bigger impact on him than he'd like to admit. 

It was extra hard every time they went back to the studio; Lee kept hoping it would be Richard every time the door opened. He started to despise dancing more than he already did, although he had actually gotten really good. Richard had taught him well. "If this was a contest," Jenna said to him, "you'd win. Of all my students, you're the one I'm looking most forward to show off at the recital on Saturday." Lee managed a small smile in return. He couldn't wait to have this whole dance-thing over with. Maybe then he could finally move on.

On his way home, Lee made a stop at Simply Thai, and chatted a little with Pravat before leaving with his satay chicken. Once seated on the couch and fork in hand, Lee felt something poking him in the back. He reached around and pulled out a DVD from the cushions. When he looked at it, his heart sank. It was Flashdance, Richard's favorite movie. It should have been returned to the store weeks ago, but had somehow ended up behind the cushions and Lee had forgotten all about it.

With a sad little smile on his face, Lee ended up putting it on, although he didn't really like it, but it reminded him of Richard. Halfway through the movie, Lee suddenly laughed out loud. "I'm such a sad fuck," he said to himself, "sitting here by myself, watching _Flashdance_ , and missing a man who stopped calling me after two days." He sighed, and angrily threw a punch at an innocent pillow. "Fuck this, fuck everyone, fuck you, Richard. Fuck you for making me feel like this, fuck you for leaving and make me sit here by myself like an idiot, missing you." Although Lee had promised himself not to cry, a single tear managed to leave the corner of his eye, falling down his cheeks before landing hard on his thigh. "And fuck you, for giving up on me."

But blaming Richard didn't help, because it was partly his own fault; he was the one who told Richard not to bother coming back. And so, Richard would forever be Lee's _The One That Got Away_.

*

Lee was by no means looking forward to the recital, but he had promised Anna he would go. So there he stood, in front of the mirror in the hall, dressed in a black fitted suit and tie. At least after this, there would be no more dancing lessons, and for that Lee was thankful. Next time he let Anna sign them up for anything, Lee had made her promise it would be something useful, like a cooking class. Because god knows that's at least something Lee could need.

Anna picked him up just in time for them to make it to the recital on time. Anna stood for most of the speaking on their way there, telling Lee she had invited a couple of their girlfriends to the show. And asking him if he had considered trying out an app called Grindr, which Lee had never heard of (but learned was a dating app for gay dudes). Lee wasn't really interested in meeting people through an app, but even if he was, he was still in love and hung up on Richard. He hadn't told Anna that though, and he was doing his best to hide his misery. "You look beautiful," Lee told her when they got out of her car. Her hair was up in a bun, and she was wearing a gorgeous dark blue dress in chiffon. 

"Thank you," she said with a smile as they made their way inside, and added, "so do you, handsome." 

"There you are," Jenna said when they arrived, meeting them at the door. She looked at Lee with a mischievous smile. "Look at you, you'll break some hearts tonight I'm sure. Come on." She led them backstage, where all the others stood waiting for the show to begin. Lee looked for a place to sit, but the place was ripped of anything but a table of water and a heavy red curtain separating them from the audience. "You're the best I have, so you'll be last," Jenna told them, "I'll tell you when it's your turn." Lee could hear excited chatter from the other side of the curtain, and someone speaking in a microphone. "Okay guys!" Jenna started, "your family, friends and other loved ones are out there waiting, the show's about to begin, so Karen and Thomas, get ready!"

"I can't wait for this to be over," Lee said, watching as the first couple disappeared behind the curtains, a reference to both the dancing and Richard. His mind drifted to the day he had asked Richard to come to the recital, to go through the steps with him. That wouldn't have been necessary now, because Lee remembered all of his steps, but wished Richard was there nonetheless. 

"I know," Anna said, with an apologetic look on her face. She reached out and touched his arm gently. "I'm sorry, I won't sign us up for dance lessons again."

"It's okay," Lee said and shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets. They stood there in silence until it was finally their turn, and Jenna came rushing over to them, ushering them out on the dance floor. 

"Please welcome Anna and Lee!" someone said at the same time Jenna said, "good luck!" 

Their number was about two minutes long, and Lee remembered all the steps and did not step on Anna's feet one single time. He kept his eyes on her, held her hand tightly and led her, just as Richard had taught him. It was as if twenty kilos had been lifted off his shoulders when they finally made their exit, and Lee even smiled with relief, though his broken heart still weighted tons.

They were quickly called back with everyone else, lining up on the floor just as people stood up and started to clap. Lee held Anna's hand tightly, looked at the audience and saw their friends, the rest were a blur of unfamiliar faces. But then Lee saw another familiar face, in the back. Tall and dark hair, his icy blue eyes shone through the crowd. His chin a little hairier since they last saw each other. It was Richard. He smiled at him when Lee's eyes met his.

Lee didn't quite know how to feel or respond, and only stood looking at him with his mouth open. Although Lee had no idea what he was doing there, it felt so good to see him again, at the best he hoped for closure; he didn't dare to hope for more. When people started coming out on the dance floor to congratulate the participants on a job well done, Lee lost sight of Richard in the crowd. "I'll be right back," Lee said when their friends came over, and let go of her hand. He made his way through the crowd, looking for Richard. He found him again quickly. When he saw Lee, Richard pushed his way through the crowd and over to him.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," Lee said back, the scent of Richard's cologne hitting his nostrils. He wanted to hug him, but resisted. "What are you doing here?"

"I came because I want to make things right, because I said I'd be back as soon as I could," Richard answered, "and I think I might have promised I'd be at your recital if I could make it."

"You stopped calling," Lee said, his voice laced with disappointment.

"I wanted to give you space to sort your thoughts," Richard clarified. "I never gave up on you, Lee. I figured you would call me back eventually, but you never did. So I booked a ticket, with a hope we could still work this out."

"Oh," Lee said, feeling a little stupid. He could feel his cheeks redden with embarrassment, while Lee had given up on them, Richard had not. And here he was, ready to fight to win his heart back. The urge to pull him into a hug got stronger. Lee just needed Richard's arms around him, and for him to tell him everything was going to be okay. Instead Lee reached out and touched his beard, feeling the coarse hair beneath his fingertips. The beard really suited him.

"So," Richard said, taking his hand in his. "Would you like to come with me to my hotel room, away from all these people, to talk, just the two of us?"

"Yeah, okay," Lee said, not having to keep resisting the urge to hug him, because then Richard pulled him into a tight embrace. Lee wrapped his arms tightly around him, burying his face in Richard's neck and breathing in all his scents.

"I've really missed you," he murmured into Lee's ear.

"I missed you too," Lee said, his voice so thick with emotion Richard tightened his embrace around him. A tower of feelings were building up in Lee's chest; a mix of relief, happiness, love and admiration for the man in his arms. It was a little too much to digest, and Lee didn't know what to say or do, except he wasn't gonna let go of Richard freely any moment soon. And Richard seemed to get that, because he just held him like that for what seemed like ages. The people around them not seeming to notice the two adult men, wrapped up in each other arms. 

"Let's go," Richard said eventually, gently letting go of him. Before Lee had the chance to feel lost, Richard had grabbed his hand and linked their fingers together. A comforting smile on his face.

Lee texted Anna on his way to Richard's hotel, letting her know that Richard was there and they were on their way to his hotel to sort things out. Her reply only contained a bunch of heart emojis. They took a taxi, and the ride was silent, but they held hands and kept looking at each other the entire time. 

"Here we are," Richard said as he opened the door to his room, letting Lee inside. The room was nice enough with a couch, a king size bed, a TV and a desk. Lee sat down on the couch, and Richard quickly followed and sat down beside him, so close that Lee could smell his minty breath. "So," Richard started, "first I just want to apologize again for not telling you from the start, that I live in London."

"It's okay," Lee said, and ran a hand through his hair. "I know you're sorry about that."

"Good," Richard said, grabbing his hand. "I never meant to hurt you, that was never my intention. But when I realized what I was feeling, and realized what you might be feeling, it got hard, because I knew I'd let you down."

"I know," Lee said, looking up at him. "I'm sorry I didn't return your calls. I wanted to call you, to apologize, to make things right. But then you stopped calling, and I thought you had given up, so I guess I gave up too. I tried to move on."

"Oh."

"For the record, it didn't work," Lee explained, rubbing Richard's hand with his thumb. "I'm still very much in love with you."

Richard smiled and squeezed his hand. "You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that. I knew there was a possibility that you might not be." Lee could feel his heart lighten, and a smile finally reached his lips. Things were gonna be okay. They were gonna be okay. And they were gonna figure this out, Lee knew it in his heart they would. Lee let out a breath of relief. "And just in case I didn't make myself clear, I'm in love with you too. I'm in love with your humor, with your shitty cooking, with your confidence, with your gorgeous face and-"

"Shut up and kiss me," Lee demanded, an exited feeling building up in his stomach when Richard leaned in, as if they had never kissed before. When their lips met, Lee wrapped both arms around Richard's neck, refusing to let him go. Richard sighed into his mouth and put his hand on Lee's neck, his thumb rubbing it gently. It didn't take long before just kissing him wasn't enough, and Lee needed to feel his skin, because at that moment that was the way Lee needed to get outlet for his feelings. His hands found the buttons on Richard's shirt, unbuttoning it. 

"Are you sure?" Richard asked him just as Lee slid the shirt off his shoulders. Richard's skin felt hot and smooth under his hand.

"Yes," Lee said firmly, taking off his blazer. Richard nodded and helped him with his shirt and tie, throwing it on the floor. Lee kissed him again, wet and loud and desperate. Suddenly worry started to build up in the pit of Lee's stomach, could they ever make it the way it was, with all that had happened? Then Richard moved his mouth to Lee's neck and all his worries were gone as quick as they had arrived. It was all still there. The chemistry, the love, the lust; all still intact and alive. Lee breathed heavily and tugged on Richard's hair, a familiar feeling of not getting enough settling in his fingers.

Richard led them to the bed, and when Lee laid down on the soft sheets, Richard pulled off his pants and underwear in a swift move. When Richard had taken care of his own, he crawled on top of him, gently shoving Lee's legs apart with one of his thick thighs. Lee pulled him down for a kiss, moaning when he felt a slick finger slip inside him. "Richard," Lee breathed hotly against his lips.

When Richard entered him, Lee nearly lost it. He writhed under him in pleasure, arching his back and moaning whenever Richard hit the sensitive spot inside him. Richard thrusted gently, one of Lee's legs thrown over his shoulder. Richard kept one hand on his thigh, the other one holding tightly onto his hip. When Lee was about to reach climax, he grabbed Richard's hand and squeezed it. 

Richard pulled out, and showered his face and neck and chest with gentle kisses before getting off the bed to get a towel. "You always make such a mess," Richard joked when he rubbed a hot towel against the sweaty skin on Lee's torso. Lee snorted.

"It feels like nothing bad ever happened between us," Lee said, looking up at Richard through his lashes.

"That's a good thing, I hope?" Richard asked from where he sat on the side of the bed, his fingers dancing gently over Lee's stomach.

"Yeah, it's a good thing. It's a really good thing." Lee paused for a few seconds. "So, how do we make this work? I mean, with you living in London and all."

Richard sighed contently, moving his hand to play with Lee's hair instead. "I have a flexible schedule," Richard started. "I can come over whenever I have time, and when work brings me here."

Lee smiled. "I'll miss you when you're not here."

"And, when the time is right, I have a standing offer at Jenna's studio. She wants to expand," Richard added.

"You'd move here?" Lee asked, sitting up.

"I'd do a lot of things for love," Richard answered, "if there's someone that I love, that I need to be close to, it doesn't matter where that person is. I'd go the whole journey."

"That's the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me," Lee admitted, his hand coming out to cup Richard's cheek.

"I'm a hopeless romantic at heart," Richard said, turning his head to kiss the palm of Lee's hand. Lee smiled and leaned up and gave him a gentle kiss.

"For how long will you be here?" Lee asked.

"Two weeks," Richard said. "And I was hoping you might want to share your bed, because I only have this room for one night."

"You had confidence we would sort things out," Lee smiled and added, "like I'd let you stay anywhere else." 

"I had faith it would," Richard said, grabbing Lee's hand to kiss his knuckles. He let go of his hand and got up to pull on his underwear, before walking over to the mini bar. "Are you thirsty?" Richard asked, pulling out a coke as Lee reached for the remote and turned on the TV. "Hungry, maybe? I could order room service."

"I'm good, maybe later," Lee called from the bed, switching through the channels, while at the same time trying to grab his briefs. Nothing was worth watching, so Lee settled on a radio channel playing an old Coldplay song he couldn't remember the name of. 

"I love that song," Richard said as Lee finally managed to grab his underwear. Richard smiled at him, "Lee, come here."

"Why?" Lee said, reluctantly getting off the bed, stopping to pull his briefs on before walking over to him. Richard pulled him close and put his hand on his waist. 

"Dance with me," Richard said, his eyes glittering.

"And I thought I was finally done with dancing," Lee moaned, but grabbed his hand nonetheless, and put the other hand on Richard's shoulder.

"Lee, just shut up and dance with me." 

And Lee danced with Richard until his feet got sore, the sun set and revealed a sky full of stars.

~ THE END

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for reading, I hope you liked it as much as I've liked writing it. I'm sooo in love with this AU, ~~I miiiiight write an epilogue/more later~~. And yes, I shamelessly stole Richard's own quote.


End file.
